Charities launch dementia research fund

The Alzheimer's Society and the Bupa Foundation have teamed up to boost research into the causes of dementia.

A £1.5 million fund should help to support research into the disease, which is becoming more common in the UK.

According to Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, the economic cost of the disease could rise to £27 billion by 2018 unless progress is made.

Anyone who wishes to apply for a grant is required to do so by February 28th and applications will be considered for a range of topics, such as the mechanisms of disease progression and the effectiveness of complementary therapies.

Grants will range from £100,000 to £750,000 and will be open to researchers from the UK and a number of other countries.

Mr Hunt said that dementia research is 'seriously under-funded' and that 'much more' needs to be invested if advancements similar to those seen for cancer are to be achieved in the field of dementia care and treatment.

'By delaying the onset of dementia by just five years we could halve the number of deaths from the condition, saving 30,000 lives a year,' the expert claimed.

Dementia can be caused by a number of diseases and conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and fronto-temporal dementia.

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